Meet Eric
As an on-site consultant, Eric’s job requires him to switch up his commute frequently. Right now, his current project is in Downtown Atlanta at Coca Cola’s Headquarters – but in a few months, he’ll be commuting to Sandy Springs. As a resident of Old Fourth Ward, Eric uses several different methods of transport to get him from point A to B.
Eric’s Daily Commute
For several years, Eric endured of the infamous #ATLTraffic, spending several hours commuting in his car alone each day.
“I always wanted to be the slick city guy riding the train and walking to work,” Eric admitted. “For a while I was a single occupancy vehicle driver. I noticed that my legs were hurting, my back was aching and my hips were burning. It was frustrating because I couldn’t take my mind off the pain or the stress of sitting in traffic.”
Eric explored and took time to familiarize himself with other commute options. He invested in a Breeze card and added 20 round trips to his card. He even placed his card at the front of his wallet – in front of all his credit cards – to keep MARTA top of mind. After studying the bus routes, he figured out that by walking a little here and bussing a little there he could implement a clean commute into his daily routine.
Currently, Eric rides the bus more than any other commute mode – walking to the North Avenue bus stop and hopping on 1 or 26 routes to downtown – which totals about two miles. In the coming months, Eric will switch things up – riding the red rail line up to Sandy Springs.
“The hardest thing for me was trusting that I’d still get to work on time, but the MARTA app provides real-time updates, giving me the tools to ride efficiently,” Eric explained. “Typically, I use my commute as me time – reading journal articles – so when I arrive at home I can spend time with my loved ones.”
If you’re looking to make your commute as easy and seamless as Eric’s, check out our Ways to Get Around page for various clean commute options available in the metro Atlanta area.
Look out for more #CommuterStories this Fall!
Eric’s Commute Tips
- Always bring an umbrella – you never know with ATL weather.
- When you stand on a moving bus – hold on!
- Bring a book!